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New Brighton sees new development at Exchange

Representatives from the city of New Brighton, TÜV SÜD America and Ryan Companies, which is building TÜV SÜD’s new facility at the New Brighton Exchange, took part in a July groundbreaking ceremony.
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Formerly known as the Northwest Quadrant, the New Brighton Exchange development area is located beteween Long Lake and Interstate 35W.
courtesy of City of New Brighton

It was years ago that New Brighton began the largest redevelopment project in the city’s history.

Formerly known as the Northwest Quadrant, the city rebranded the more than 20-acre land as the “New Brighton Exchange” in 2011, after it was cleaned and restored from its days of being home to stockyards and an oil refinery, which left the land dirty and polluted in parts.

Now — years later — city leaders are satisfied that its future continues to take shape.

“The success of the New Brighton Exchange redevelopment area is a priority for the city,” said New Brighton City Council member Brian Strub.

With that being the case, the council was pleased when TÜV SÜD a German-based product testing company specializing in electromagnetic interference testing, decided to relocate to the Exchange.

TÜV SÜD America has had a location in the city for some time, since 1992, but according to Strub and New Brighton Mayor Val Johnson, this new move is accompanied by a long-term investment in New Brighton.

In a press release, the city said part of that investment includes securing 45 to 55 existing jobs, “with potential to grow.”

The vacant property was sold by the city to TÜV SÜD in June for roughly $480,000.

The private company, which has already broken ground, is building its new 37,000-square-foot facility on four acres of land in the Exchange, east of Old Highway 8 and south of 14th Street NW. Construction of the new facility began in July.

“TÜV’s development is projected to add an additional $5 million of market value to New Brighton Exchange, positively impacting the city’s tax base and reputation for being a preferred place to live, work, and play,” said Janice Gundlach, assistant director of community assets and development for New Brighton.

Johnson called this new development “historic.”

“It is especially historic for New Brighton because the business is being built on re-purposed, clean land that many years ago was a part of the stockyards and city dump,” she said. “Today, the Exchange is a safe, conveniently located parcel of land that allows for new builds such as TÜV SÜD.”

Johnson explained that TÜV SÜD’s decision to stay in New Brighton carries several benefits, one of which is that its employees “will be eating at more New Brighton restaurants and doing business with others such as dry cleaners, etc,” she said.

Strub said TÜV SÜD’s move is just one of many businesses that will hopefully situate themselves at the Exchange.

“Winners want to be near other winners,” Strub said. “This will be a high quality building in a high quality neighborhood.”

He sees TÜV SÜD’s decision as an indicator of the future of the Exchange.

“When a business chooses to expand in New Brighton, this tells me they see value in the access to skilled employees which reflects our quality local schools,” he said. “It shows me they appreciate having access to major freeways, the downtowns and the airport. It shows me that they desire to be part of this successful redevelopment.”

Strub noted that New Brighton’s efforts to attract businesses has resulted in the expansion of APi, retention of jobs at CSI and now TÜV SÜD.